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Plane That Can Fly From London To New York In 3.5 Hours Is One Step Closer

Plane That Can Fly From London To New York In 3.5 Hours Is One Step Closer

The 'Mini Boom' would halve the time it currently takes to make the journey

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

There's been a major update for the 'Boom' jet, that will be able to fly passengers from London to New York in three hours.

Blake Scholl, who is getting the test version of the Boom XB-1 ready for its first flight later this year, has tweeted to reveal that the planes' engines are now ready.

This news means the plane, which is dubbed the 'Baby Boom', could be ready to take off pretty soon.

If the test plane goes well and a full-size 55-seat plane is then approved, passengers could be able to take advantage of the new, quicker journeys by 2023.

Boom has confirmed that both Virgin Galactic and Japan Airlines (JAL) will be operating the planes, with Japan Airlines investing a whopping ÂŁ7 million ($10m) into the company late last year. The deal means that JAL will be able to buy 20 of the Boom planes, and will be on hand to offer its expertise on flight and aircraft design.

Speaking in December last year, Scholl said the company had been working 'behind the scenes' with JAL for over a year and that he was 'thrilled' to be working alongside the company.

"JAL's passionate, visionary team offers decades of practical knowledge and wisdom on everything from the passenger experience to technical operations," his statement read.

Boom Super Sonic

"We're thrilled to be working with JAL to develop a reliable, easily-maintained aircraft that will provide revolutionary speed to passengers.

"Our goal is to develop an airliner that will be a great addition to any international airline's fleet."

Yoshiharu Ueki, president of Japan Airlines, added: "Through this partnership, we hope to contribute to the future of supersonic travel with the intent of providing more 'time' to our valued passengers while emphasising flight safety."

Although it's very early days, estimates suggest that tickets for the plane could set you back as much as ÂŁ1,700 ($2,500). However, the plane's plans boast one business-class seat either side of the aisle, solving the issue of whether you get the aisle or window seat by offering both.

Boom Super Sonic

The test plane looks set to be ready to go 15 years after the famous Concorde took its final flight. The Boom promises to be at least 30 times quieter than the traditional Concorde and will be more fuel efficient, meaning that ticket prices should be lower.

Source: Boom Super Sonic

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Topics: Science, Planes, travel, Technology